Custom craftsmanship runs like a gossamer thread through the Arik family business. David’s father, Aziz, handcrafted jewelry from scratch in his native country of Turkey for 19 years when David was still a baby. In the generation preceding today’s precise computerized jewelry manufacturing, there was smelting and pouring of raw gold and other precious metals into fine custom pieces adorned with handpicked diamonds and gemstones. They were given from a gentleman to his lady, a token of his love and commitment, and bequeathed lovingly from a mother to her daughter. This alchemy of jewelry-making transformed and was perfected over the years when the Arik family acquired their own jewelry manufacturing company in Los Angeles, delivering the consistent quality that David’s House of Diamonds, the “Seller of Jewels,” has been known for more than three decades.
“Fashion is what you buy, but the style is what you do with it.” ~ Daisy Fuentes.
David Arik, the owner of David’s House of Diamonds, started working at his father’s jewelry shop in the Fullerton Jewelry Mart in 1992. While his father, Aziz, is known for making more traditional jewelry offerings, David started learning early about jewelry fashion trends that interested his younger peers who, at that time, were just discovering the internet and various online shops one could create, sell, and ship just about anything. David realized that he could create his online store and sell his jewelry to anyone, anywhere in the world. David was just 14 years old when he got the idea to open his very own online store, “Seller of Jewels,” which is still in operation today in partnership with the David’s House of Diamonds’ physical location in Fullerton.
To further his passion and assure his future success in the family business, David graduated as a diamond expert from the Gemological Institute of America, the foremost authority on diamonds, colored stones, and pearls. Today, he works alongside his sister Mary and sales associates Jessica Nguyen and Ephraim Bekdas. They are just across the aisle from both his father, Aziz and his uncle in three distinct jewelry shops within Fullerton Jewelry Mart.
When asked about his longevity in the business, Aziz says he never gets bored. “When I make customers happy, I get happier,” says David’s father, Aziz. “I have been in the same location here since 1992, but styles change, and the people change. I have been making jewelry my whole life. I may not know anything else,” he says with a smile, “but I love it!”
“Jewelry is like the perfect spice – it always complements what’s already there.” ~ Diane Von Furstenberg
Custom jewelry pieces become the family heirlooms of tomorrow. This time of year, summer engagements usually fill the counters with new customers shopping for engagement and wedding bands from their huge inventory. Couples can get exactly what they are looking for by bringing in a photograph or picture from a bridal magazine, and at manufacturer’s prices, (because David’s House of Diamonds is the manufacturer). Christmastime is a busy time for custom pieces based on descriptive drawings or photographs, a personal touch that David and his team are more than happy to deliver.
The sales associates love working with David and Mary and their family, and they know what’s trending in fashion these days. “Layering pieces are hot right now, especially bracelets and necklaces,” says sales associate Jessica. “People are also looking for fancy and unusual shapes in gold and gemstones, and when pairing pieces together rose gold is trendy right now.” Rose gold is a blend of high-quality gold with a little copper giving the gold a slightly pink appearance that goes beautifully in paired rings and bracelets as well as necklaces and earrings.
Why shop for jewelry? Because sparkle makes you feel good! It sharpens your image online and in photos, which is important for people who rely on their image to maintain their business and feel good about one’s self-image. People may not be going out right now as much as they used to, but sentimentality and the desire to look good will not ever go away. A little sparkle can put a smile on your loved one’s face in a way you haven’t seen in a long time. David and his team have seen this joy many times, and it always brings them joy. “We get to know our customers. They come back often, and with many of them, we are on a first-name basis. Often they come from the same family over generations, and we suggest and guide them toward what suits their personality or their loved one’s personality. We want to help them get exactly what they want,” says Jessica. “I always notice the little details in fashion, in jewelry, and in people. The details make all the difference. And what’s more timeless than a person’s personality?”
David’s House of Diamonds is located at 1475 S. Harbor Blvd, Suites C6 and C7 in Fullerton inside the Fullerton Jewelry Mart, open Monday-Friday 11AM to 6PM and Saturdays from 11AM to 5PM. To speak with a sales associate call 714-519-3589, or shop online anytime at sellerofjewels.com